


spruce me up

by dinosaur



Series: 10 Days of Ficletmas [4]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-22
Updated: 2014-12-22
Packaged: 2018-03-02 04:52:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2800256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dinosaur/pseuds/dinosaur
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He brushes first some needles, and then his hair, and then some more needles out of his face. Finally he can see mostly clearly. The guy is wringing his hands, looking fairly concerned for what is, to Harry's knowledge, a complete stranger. </p>
<p>He sorta looks like a lumberjack. Maybe this is his faulty tree. Maybe he put it here, waiting for an unsuspecting civilian to try and use it to help themselves and watch and laugh when they crashed and burned.</p>
<p>Harry narrows his eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	spruce me up

**Author's Note:**

> amalgamated from [tumblr](http://imlikenah.tumblr.com/tagged/10dof). on a fateful day in early december i had an Intense Reaction to [this au post](http://imlikenah.tumblr.com/post/104209923365/captainasexual-fun-holiday-aus-for-you-to). and my inevitable downfall into the 10 Days of Ficletmas was decided.
> 
> so, on the fourth day of christmas, i gave to you,  
> lirry: you were walking in front of me when you tripped over your own foot and knocked over the christmas tree in the park. let me help you up and we’ll try to fix the damage au
> 
> the title is a terrible terrible pun and i'm not sorry

Harry honestly thought it was in the ground. And he's gonna maintain that no matter what anyone says to him. Because it's a tree. In a park. It should've been in the ground.

Everyone knows this. Like everyone knows you don't wait to eat an orange and you always layer winter socks snowman over wreaths.

So because it's a tree and because it's in a park, Harry knows he can use it to catch himself when he missteps on a particularly malicious pile of leaves. They're obviously malicious. Which is what he starts to say right before the tree topples down and he ends up buried in a pile of needles and overly warm lights.

He lays in the pile while he waits out the adrenaline rush. Always good to do a check-in after a fall. Ah, fair point. Harry makes a mental note to add that to his Life Advice List. 

He's checking on his elbows when he realizes someone is standing on the other side of the pine needle curtain, trying to talk to him.

He brushes first some needles, and then his hair, and then some more needles out of his face. Finally he can see mostly clearly. The guy is wringing his hands, looking fairly concerned for what is, to Harry's knowledge, a complete stranger. He sorta looks like a lumberjack. 

Maybe this is his faulty tree. Maybe he put it here, waiting for an unsuspecting civilian to try and use it to help themselves and watch and laugh when they crashed and burned.

Harry narrows his eyes. The lumberjack is starting to speak again. Harry cuts him off.

"Can I help you?" Harry asks, as cool as possible while under pounds of burning lights.

"I - No, I'm. What?" Lumberjack stumbles a bit and waves a shapely jumper covered arm. Harry narrows his eyes further. "Can I help you?"

"No. I'm quite comfortable." Harry says, then, because his mum raised him right, adds, "Thank you."

He laces his fingers on his stomach, ignoring the prick of a few needles. It's honestly not bad. A little piney, a little like playing in the presents under the tree as a tot.

The lumberjack looks at him for a moment then grins a little bit like he can't help himself. It makes his cheeks look Santa-round and annoyingly cute.

"It's rude to be cute." Harry says.

Lumberjack's smile gets wider. He fiddles a little bit with the edge of his jumper.

"I'm Liam." the lumberjack, Liam, says. The liamjack. Harry smiles to himself, but Liam must think it's directed towards him because he moves closer like Harry has invited him into his new glow-in-the-dark pine bed.

"I fell into the one over there, by the bins, the other day." Liam whisper-says. "Took me an age to do the lights up right, after."

Hm. "You didn't put these here." Harry says, testing.

"No?" Liam says, like he's not sure why there was a question.

Hm. Harry has been mistaken. The lumberjack is not a foe, but a friend. That's a good line, he should use that later. He makes a mental note.

Liam is watching him, outright curious now. Harry pats the patch of pines next to him. Liam's eyebrows do a little dance before he giggles like he can't help himself and he lowers himself onto the tree bed, considerably gentler than Harry's entrance.

When he's settled, side pressed glancingly, distractingly to Harry's, Liam lifts up his gloved hand and makes grabby fingers at Harry's.

Harry is charmed. What a charming, friendly liamjack. He laces his fingers with Liam's, lets Liam do a little wave like he's saying hello to Harry beside him. Harry waves back.

"Hello Liam, I'm Harry." he wiggles a little closer, for warmth, naturally. "Where did you get your jumper, it has two kinds of plaid?"

Laying on his back, looking sideways, Harry can only see the curve of Liam's cheek as he grins this time, but it's a good curve.

"Hi Harry. My mate, Louis, says it's first on his list to burn when we need fire kindling during the hols." Liam looks down at himself. "But I - "

"I love it." Harry says, firm, defensive for Liam against this unknown entity with no fashion sense.

Liam looks back up at Harry, turns his head fully so Harry can admire all the curves of his face, as well as his very red and full lips.

They stare at each other. It seems like a perfect pine bubble of a moment and Liam must agree because he exhales a bit shaky.

"Oh." he says. "Cool."

"Very," Harry agrees and proceeds to show Liam just how cool.

Liam returns the favor. He must also have had a very good upbringing. Harry looks forward to meeting his family.


End file.
